Safety device for boats



Feb. 25, 1941. BOLD'ls ETAL 2,233,240

' SAFETY DEVICE Fon BOATS Filed Jan. 25. 19259 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ai: torne y Feb. z5, 1941.

J. BOLDIS ETAL SAFETY DEVICE Fon BOATS Filed Jan. 25, 19559 3Sheets-Sheet 2 maven-rens* e /1 gwa'ecand Attorney FebQzs, 1941.

J. BOLDIS ETAL SAFETY DEVICE FOR BOATS Filed Jan. 25, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet 3 JOAWBOM'JOSeP/LJWN/MJ c/a /ITZ Swiec /L y AttorneyyPatented Feb. 25, 1941 PATENT OFFICE l SAFETY DEVICE FOR BOATS JohnBoldis, Joseph Swiech, and John Swiech, Courtland, Ontario, CanadaApplication January 25, 1939,` Serial No. 252,820 In Canada November 10,1938 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a safety devicefor boats. Its primary object being to provide oat means to prevent aship from sinking. Said means being collapsible or foldable Within thesides of a ship and having operating mechanism whereby the device maybe'extended outward as required.

A further object of the invention is to provide safety means for shipsincluding a plurality of air containers to be extended outward from thesides of a ship or lateral support arms to prevent a ship from sinkingor capsizing when disabled.

With these and other objects in view that may appear While thedescription proceeds the invention consists in the novel constructionand arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth,claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming part of thisapplication and in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a ship showing the invention in usethereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one side showing the device in extendedposition.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vievv showing the device in the partially openposition.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the invention in the closed position.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the safety device in the open position.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the constructional details ofthe outer side.

Referring more in detail to the invention in which similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,it will be seen the invention comprises the hull I Il of a ship havingopen receptacle chambers II formed in the sides thereof designed toreceive foldable structures hinged to the hull in a position to beinclosed in said chambers when closed.

The foldable structure consists of a box structure I2 having an openbottom and supported on the inner side by two foldable platform membersI3 and I4 which are lsecured together by a central hinge I5 and to thestructure I2 by hinge I6. The device is arranged with the hinges inposition to permit the foldable members to be enclosed in the structureI2 and the entire de- 50v vice to be enclosed in the aforementionedchambers II.

The structure is actuated by toothed racks I'I operated by toothedWheels I8 within the hull of the ship, and are supported in the openposition by horizontal bars I9 actuated from a central gear 20 andarranged to engage the folding structures on both sides of the ship tolock the same rigidly in the extended position.

In Fig. 6 a modification of the device is shown wherein threeinterlocking box structures 2I, 22 and 23 are used. These are joinedtogether with hinges 24 at the top arranged to permit folding of thesame, and are constructed With rubber liners 25 to form an air tightstructure on the top when open. The ends 26 as shown in Fig. '7 may alsobe folded inwards when the device is collapsed. These are constructedwith a rubber layer 27 outside to prevent loss of air through the hingedjoint.

While the outside or shell of the structure may be constructed of Wood,metal or other suitable material the same is preferably lined throughoutwith a cork lining 28 to add to the buoyancy of the structure.

From the foregoing it will be seen the invention provides means toextend safety floats on either side of a ship on whichwa railing 29 maybe erected. In case of emergency the oats are projected laterally fromthe receptacle chambers in the hull and form safety platforms on floatsupon which the passengers may walk if necessary and which will keep aboat afloat indefinitely until any damage sustained by the hull isrepaired or the passengers removed from the same.

The device is believed to be practicable and an improvement in safetydevices and Will also provide means to eventually salvage a ship that istemporarily abandoned.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of the structureshown may be apparent from the foregoing paragraphs taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings without further detailed description.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed it isunderstood that minor changes in the details of construction,combination and arrangement of co-operating parts may be resorted towithin the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

We claim:

1. In a safety device for ships, the combination with a ships hullhaving open receptacle chambers in the sides thereof, of a floatcomprising a boxlike structure open at the bottom land on one r side, apair of hingedly connected platform members interposed between the sidesof the ships hull and the float, the outer edge of one member beinghingedly connected to the upper edge of the open side of said float andthe outer edge of the other member being hngedly connected to the upperedge of the receptacle chamber, said platform members being adapted toswing downwardly into folded relation and foldable within said floatwhen the oat is moved inwardly towards the receptacle chamber, arcuaterack bars connected at one end to said oat and extending into the shipshull, pinions in mesh with the inner ends of said rack bars adapted tomove said rack bars to pull said oat inwardly and swing the samedownwardly into nested relation with the receptacle chamber of the shipshull.

2. In a safety device for ships, the combination with a ships hullhaving open receptacle chambers in the sides thereof, of a floatcomprising a boxlike structure open at the bottom and on one side, apair of hingedly connected platform members interposed between the sideof the ships hull and the float, the outeredge of one memberbeing-hingedly connected to the upper edge of the open side of saidfloat and the outer edgesof the other member being hingedly connected tothe upper edge of the receptacle chamber, said platform members beingadapted to swing down-f wardly into folded relation and foldable Withinsaid float when the oat is moved inwardly to- Wards the ships hull,arcuate rack bars connectedl

